FAQ

General

How can some of your products be lactose-free?

Lactose Free dairy products are made lactose free by adding the lactase enzyme, an enzyme we naturally have in our body, to regular cottage cheese and sour cream. Lactase breaks down lactose into the two simple sugars-- galactose and glucose. The resulting product is usually a bit sweeter than regular due to the fact that these two sugars are sweeter separately than they are when combined into lactose.

What is the difference between Dairy Free and Lactose-Free?

Lactose Free products are not necessarily dairy free. They are made lactose free by adding the lactase enzyme as explained above.

Does Gay Lea produce any lactose-free products?

Gay Lea Milk does not contain preservatives. In Canada, the use of artificial growth hormones is prohibited for dairy cows and antibiotic use must comply with Canadian law. Milk supply safety and quality regulations are very strict and include provisions for farm and dairy processing plant inspections and testing.

What makes the ‘light’ Spreadables product different from the regular?

"Light" Spreadables has 25% less fat than regular Gay Lea Spreadables. We use buttermilk to make the product "light" without changing the taste and texture.

Can I freeze Gay Lea products in the containers that you ship them in?

We do not recommend freezing any of our products with the exception of butter.

Are Gay Lea’s products nut and peanut free?

Yes – Gay Lea’s products are all nut and peanut free. Our products are all produced on manufacturing lines that are free from nuts and peanuts.

Are Gay Lea’s products Kosher?

The majority of Gay Lea’s products are Kosher certified. Gay Lea complies with Canadian Regulation in which all Kosher certified products are labelled with the respective ‘COR’ logo.

Are Gay Lea’s products Halal?

Many of Gay Lea’s products are Halal certified. We encourage customers with these dietary restrictions to look for the respective logo which will be on all of our products that meet these regulations.

Are Gay Lea’s products gluten-free?

Yes – all of Gay Lea’s products are gluten-free. Our production facilities are also free of gluten.

Are Gay Lea products made from pasteurized milk?

Although pasteurization is carried out at different stages, depending on the product, it is a step in the manufacturing process of every dairy product.

Where can I get Gay Lea products coupons?

We are committed to providing quality products at the best possible prices. We will continue to provide consumer coupons from time to time either directly on our specially marked product packages, through distribution in stores, or shared on Gay Lea’s Newsletter http://www.gaylea.com/news/consumer/and Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/gayleafoods. Unfortunately, we do not generate coupons directly from our office.

Whipped Cream

Do your products contain alcohol?

The production of carrageenan, which is used in many of our product, uses a compound known as isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Like methanol (methyl alcohol), IPA is not meant to be consumed and could cause serious health issues if consumed. When the carrageenan is extracted from the seaweed, it is in a water solution. Adding IPA causes the carrageenan to fall out of solution (precipitate) where it is filtered out and dried to a powder form. The drying process removes all traces of the IPA which like any alcohol, evaporates very easily. If you are concerned about halal status and the presence of ethyl alcohol (ethanol), carrageenan should be viewed as a safe ingredient. There is no ethyl alcohol present in carrageenan or used in the manufacturing of carrageenan.

Is Coconut Whipped Cream made with the same equipment that process dairy?

Yes – Gay Lea Real Coconut Whipped Cream is made with the same equipment that process dairy. However, the equipment is thoroughly cleaned and the batch is tested for presence of milk before it is release to the market.

What is nitrous oxide?

Nitrous oxide is a dispensing agent that helps propel the whipped cream out of the aerosol can. This is food grade product not to be confused with other gases.

Is it real cream?

Is Coconut Whipped Cream dairy based?

No – Gay Lea Real Coconut Whipped Cream is made with Coconut Cream and is dairy free.

I can’t seem to get all the whipped cream out of the can – why is that?

For Regular and Light Real Whipped Cream, follow dispensing directions on the can – shake the can vigorously then turn upside down and press the nozzle sideways.
For new Real Coconut Whipped Cream, if you are experiencing difficulty completely dispensing the cream from the can, we recommend allowing the can to sit at room temperature for no more than 1 minute prior to using.

How many servings of Gay Lea Real Whipped Cream are there in one 225g can?

There are approximately 15 15g servings in one can.

Butter

How to read Butter code?

The code date is the manufacture date in Julian calendar format represented by a combination of five digits (i.e. C3557). The first alphabetical letter represents the silo the cream was stored in. The next three numbers represent the day of the year. The fourth number represents the year.
I.e. B0557 B – Tank B, 055th day (February 24th), 7 is 2017

What is the difference between Canadian and European butterfat content?

Butterfat in Canada is normally 80% and in most European countries it is 82%. However, we have a Stirling Churn 84 Butter, as you can tell from the name, contains 84% butterfat.

What type of butter do you recommend for baking – salted or unsalted?

Unsalted is better for baking as the salt in our Salted Gay Lea Butter can alter the taste of your finished baked as a result of the unaccounted extra salt.

What makes Gay Lea Spreadables butter ‘spreadable’?

Our Spreadables butter combines 60% of our Gay Lea butter and 40% Canadian Canola Oil to make your butter spreadable right out of the fridge!

How long can you keep butter at room temperature?

We recommend that butter be kept refrigerated. Salted Butter will keep 180 days and Unsalted Butter will keep 90 days when refrigerated. Butter can also be kept frozen for up to one year. If you want butter that spreads right out of the fridge, we recommend buying Gay Lea Spreadable Regular or Light Butter with Canola Oil.

What is the difference between butter and margarine?

Butter is a natural food made with farm fresh pasteurized cream simply churned until it thickens. Margarine is typically made from vegetable oils, solid fat (e.g. palm oil), water, salt, flavouring, colour, some vitamins and preservatives.

Cottage Cheese

What is cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese, made with fresh, pasteurized milk to which a bacterial culture (similar to the bacterial culture used in yogurt) is added. The milk coagulates into a solid curd that is then cut into smaller curds. The curds are then mixed with a dressing – the end result is a fresh tasting dairy product that is high in protein.

How much protein is in Nordica Single Serve?

1 cup of Single Serve cottage cheese contains 14g of protein.

How much calcium is in a serving of Nordica Cottage Cheese?

One serving (½ cup, 125g) of Nordica Cottage Cheese contains 15% of the recommended daily intake of calcium for adults.

Does Nordica Cottage Cheese contain rennet?

We do not use rennet in our cottage cheese. Microbial enzymes serve the same function in our product as rennet however they are sourced from microorganisms rather than animals.

Sour Cream

Which of Gay Lea’s Sour Creams are gelatin free?

There is no gelatin in any of Gay Lea’s sour creams.

I find that Gold Sour Cream is very thick when I first take it out of the fridge. Why is this?

Gay Lea 18% Gold Sour Cream contains more milk fat than Gay Lea’s 14% Original Sour Cream. As a result, it tends to be thicker when first taken out of the fridge. We recommend that you let your Gold Sour Cream sit for 5 minutes and then stir it before serving.

Cheese

What are the hard-white particles in the cheese?

The crystals are calcium lactate. Calcium lactate is quite common in aged cheese because it forms during the natural aging process. During the aging process, good bacteria break the lactose in cheese down into lactic acid. Lactic acid combined with calcium makeup Calcium Lactate, which can form into calcium lactate crystals. The presence of calcium lactate in cheese usually means you’ve found a well-aged and flavorful piece. Calcium lactate particles are usually a pinhead-size. The most important thing to remember about Calcium lactate is that it is naturally occurring and perfectly safe to eat.

What is the difference between Ricotta & Mascarpone?

Ricotta is a fresh cheese made from fresh, pasteurized milk which is churned until it reaches its optimal thickness and forms fine curds. The product is white in colour with smooth spreadable texture and a delicate, slightly salty taste. Mascarpone is made from both milk and cream. It is renowned for its rich, sweet taste and its creamy smooth texture.

Is the Mozzarella made Rennet Free?

The microbial enzyme that is used in the Salerno cheeses is a non-animal form of rennet that allows the cheese to be certified Halal and Kosher. It performs the same function as animal sourced rennet/pepsin.

How does the cheese get its flavour?

The flavour of Ivanhoe cheese is developed through combining fresh whole milk with specialized bacterial cultures and enzymes under the watchful eye of our expert cheese makers.

Milk

What is the source of the Goat Milk?

We purchase Goat milk from over 110 goat milk producers in Ontario. They are supplied with proper bedding, heat, light and a nutritious balanced diet.
Goats diet consists of a mixture of hay and haylage, corn silage and a dairy ration which is composed of grains such as soybeans, barley and minerals. Most dairy farmers grow their own feed and as a result may contain GMO feed. Our Organic Goat Milk comes from 4 different farms in Ontario. The goats are fed the same diet, but the feed is GMO free.

Why is my yogurt runny?

Our Natural Yogurts do not contain stabilizers, as such they can become runny if they are mishandled or dropped.

Why is my milk not Steaming?

It is possible that if steaming is done at too high or inconsistent a temperature it could lead to curdling. This is a result of the protein denaturation which then tend to clump and result in a curdling effect.

Why is my milk not frothing?

Based on our experience, any changes in the milk (i.e. souring or stale flavours) would have an impact on the ability of the milk to form froth bubbles or alternatively, may disrupt the stability of the froth.

Gay Lea From the Farm

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